In the Long Run

Once again this last week, my internet connection was unpredictably and frustratingly cutting out on me. Just as I had attached several picture files to send to my son--no service. Right when I was making an important banking transfer—“page not found.” I couldn’t email back work-related documents to clients, shop online, or check my digital voicemail. So, during one of the brief periods when the internet connection was working, I hastily went to the IP website to get a technical support phone number. I noticed the site had an on-line support chat feature. Why not use it? I thought. At least it will be a live person.

JadeH (male or female…who knows) seemed polite and willing to help, when I typed out the problem in the chat window. He/She indicated that a technician might need to come to our home to check the cable, and it was exactly at that moment when I lost the connection again.

I was exasperated. Our digital landline phone also uses the internet cable, and was not working either. I dialed the helpline on my cell phone, but as I had predicted, I was asked to respond to an endless queue of pre-recorded prompts, instructing me to check connections and wires, then unplug the modem, router, and computer and powercycle them. The automated system featured a very sympathetic female recording who assured me that I could take as long as I wished to complete each of the tasks, before saying “Continue” to move on to the next step.

I continued, and continued, and continued. Although I had done all of these same things several times previously in the last few days, I did them again, hoping that I’d eventually complete the tech service gauntlet and get to talk to a real person. Amazingly enough, after the final step of rebooting the computer, the internet connection was working again. I was not naïve enough to think that the problem was permanently solved, so I indicated to my female recording that I still needed help. Finally, after about 15 minutes, I was able to talk to Steve, who, like JadeH and the pre-recorded prompter, seemed helpful and sympathetic. He agreed that there might be a problem with the cable and ordered a service visit for “sometime” Monday morning.

Since then I’ve struggled with my sketchy internet with a more positive attitude, knowing that there may be a solution for the problem soon. I’ve tried to post this blog four, oops, now it's five times, and I'm still sort of smiling. Make that a wan grimace. I eagerly await the cableguy. He can’t come soon enough.

Posted by Cyppy at 5:15 PM